Zerks' Log

Zerks' Log chronicles the voyage of a doomed spaceship Venturi 553.

Zerks' Log is one of the most impressive puppetry web series I've seen. It's an 18 episode series (the season is currently 11 episodes in) about Captain Zerks Ganymedewski and his ship the Venturi 553, which disappeared without a trace. The story is told through videos from the lost spaceship's “black box” that feature Zerks fretting about his second-in-command, pondering his love life and making otherwise trivial, humdrum observations, totally unaware that he's doomed.

This is a great example of how to design a show around the limitations most web shows face. The character of Zerks is kind of elaborate and created through a combination of animatronics and special FX makeup worn by actor Ben Alpi, but the show is shot entirely on a very simple set (it's just a desk, a chair and a green screen). There's obviously an enormous amount of post production and effects work that goes in to creating something like this, but if you have the time, the know-how and access to the right equipment you could easily produce a show like Zerks Logs for just a few hundred dollars.

Via NewTeeVee Station.

Behind the Scenes at Transylvania TV

Minnewood takes a look behind the scenes of Transylvania TV.

Minnewood has a great video that takes a behind the scenes look at Transylvania TV. For my money "TVTV" is one of the best puppet podcasts to emerge on the web so far and possibly the best looking too. In the video co-creators Gordon Smuder and Michael Heagle explain how they're producing season 2 of the series and their production philosophy. You'll also get a good look at the spectacular sets and props that have been created for the show. I got a tour of them the last time I was in Minneapolis and the level of detail they use on the show is amazing!

Tuck and Snippit on Threadbanger

The Tuck and Snippit Show is a new DIY fashion podcast created by Little's Creatures.

Little's Creatures (see previous post) just shot a pilot for a new podcast on Threadbanger, the cleverly-titled The Tuck and Snippit Show. Threadbanger is a DIY fashion site that's part of Next New Networks - the company behind the excellent websites Indy Mogul and Channel Frederator - and this has the potential to turn in to a full-time gig for puppeteers Jonathan Little and Stephen Bailey if it's well received.

Personally, I've always been a little skeptical of using puppets for a "how to" show with no human hosts. The problem I see is that it's really challenging to demonstrate how to make something with a puppet so that's usually better left to real live person. Still, there are exceptions like The Swazzle Workshop that have worked really well and I think this has the potential to be another of those if the Threadbanger audience embraces the concept.

You can watch the pilot episode of the Tuck and Snippit Show on YouTube. Be sure to leave your comments and rate the video!

Spook House Dave

Spook House Dave is a new puppet series from the creators of Apollo's Pad.

Spook House Dave is a new, in-the-works show for kids from Atlanta-based Dragonfruit Studios. They're the same folks behind Apollo's Pad, although the puppetry for Spook House Dave is done by a different team that consists of Lucky Yates, Jason von Hinezmeyer (see previous post) and Scott Warren.

The show itself revolves around Dave, a regular boy who shares a house with a regular kid with a bunch of monsters that include a Frankenstein monster, a ghost, a mummy, a werewolf and a witch. I'm not sure when the regular Spook House Dave series is set to debut, but the creators have posted a special episode for Valentine's Day online as a kind of teaser. Go have a look!

Thanks to Ben at Dragonfruit Studios for sending this in.

Transylvania TV invades YouTube

Transylvania TV's Count LeShoc stars in a series of "TVTV" webisodes.

Gordon Smuder is pushing ahead with Transylvania TV (see previous posts). He and his team are in the midst of producing several short web videos featuring the TVTV characters and have just uploaded four new webisodes on YouTube. As much as I liked the full-length pilot for TVTV, I think these new shorts are even better.

The TVTV crew are also in the early stages of planning The All New Transylvania Television Halloween Special, which will air on local TV in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area (and hopefully online too) this fall. They'll also be at MegaCon 2009 in Orlando, Florida February 27th through March 1st.

The Fist of Oblivion

The Fist of Oblivion is a kung-fu/action movie send up created by Roman Coppola.

Remember The Fist of Oblivion (see previous post)? Roman Coppola's puppet-filled send-up of Kung-Fu movies that "tells the story of a cop who was set up for a murder that he didn't commit," is available to watch on the Scion Broadband website. I'm not so sure it's going to help Toyota sell any cars (especially in this economy), but it's definitely a bold experiment and kudos to whoever green-lit this for thinking outside the box.

To watch the series go to www.scion.com/broadband/, click on "Spotlight" and then select "The Fist of Oblivion" from the playlist.

If You Don't Watch Jigsaw, You Should

Jigsaw is a puppet video podcast created by Ben Jones.

I've said this before, but Jigsaw (see previous post) really is one of my favourite puppet podcasts. For those who aren't already familiar with the show, it was created by Ben Jones and began as a sort of unusual viral advertising for a comic book store in North Carolina called Jigsaw Comics (you can read a detailed history of the shop and the series here).

Sadly, Jigsaw the comic book store is no more, but Jigsaw the puppet podcast is still going strong. Ben is currently in the midst of season three of the show, which keeps getting better and more innovative with every episode. He also occasionally posts special episodes, like a recent "behind the scenes" special explaining how he built Regibor, one of the show's characters.

To watch episodes of Jigsaw and/or subscribe to the show visit www.jigsawfanclub.com.

Sunday Night Puppet Omnibus

I didn't have time to blog much last week (sorry!). but be sure to check out all of these links, there's been some great stuff going on all over:

• Escape Pod Films - a team that includes Jeremy Westphal of Puppet Rapist (see previous post) - made a funny little short called Get on the Winning Team.
• Chances are you've already seen the video, but how awesome is that Cartoon Network used their Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Float (populated by a bunch of puppet characters, natch) to stage the ultimate rickroll at last week's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
• Speaking of which, Kermit the Frog performed in the parade too and earlier this month the Muppets took over the Today Show.
• Ryopets is a new puppet podcast from Mexico en Espansol.
• Thin Edge Puppets (Gordon Darrall and Josh Lyon) contributed puppets and puppetry to Canadian "Nerdgrass" band The Gertrudes' new music video Blackbird and the Cedar.
• Finally, it's important to remember that not everybody likes puppets (via Puppet Buzz).

P-Dash and the new President

P-Dash News provides coverage of Barack Obama's victory in the U.S. election.

Obama won! It was quite a night last and P-Dash News is all over it. I'm not too sure about Gregory "The other plumber" though (you'll have to watch the video...and might wish you didn't).

We Being Us

We Being Us is a new series of quirky videos on YouTube.

I'm kind of digging We Being Us, a relatively new series of videos on YouTube. They're very simple and have a quirky charm. So far the musical ones are my favourites, especially the descriptively titled Skiddyzoo Makes His Singing Debut.

Go watch a couple and see for yourself.

The Emperor Strikes Back (at all who steal his dessert)

In the latest Ask Palpatine, the Emperor wants the rebels to stop stealing his pie.

Depending on your feelings towards/knowledge of Star Wars, you may or may not enjoy Ask Palpatine. If you fall in to the first category, check out its latest wonderfully surreal episode.

Roman Coppola's Fist of Oblivion

The Fist of Oblivion is a new online series featuring "kung fu-fighting puppets" scheduled to debut next month. Ordinarily I'd probably wait until this was out or there was at least a video preview available to mention it here, but I'm intrigued by the fact that the show was created by Roman Coppola. Roman is probably most famous for the family he belongs to (see the Coppola family tree for more); he's the son of legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and an accomplished filmmaker in his own right.

Roman is the founder of the production company The Directors Bureau and has directed videos for musicians like The Strokes, Moby, Green Day and Fat Boy Slim (including the iconic video Praise You). He's also served as a second unit director on movies like The Darjeeling Limited (for which he also co-wrote the screenplay), Marie Antoniette, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou and Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's interesting to hear about this on the heels of the Jason Segel/Nick Stoller led Muppet movie and Kanye West's Alligator Boots; I wonder if this is just a short-lived trend or if we're seeing the beginning of something more. Is the generation that grew up on the Muppets storming Hollywood?

Look for the The Fist of Oblivion on Scion Broadband in November with new episodes scheduled to debut every Tuesday through the end of December.

Jigsaw Returns

Dr. Kranium and Milton return for a brand new season of Jigsaw.

Jigsaw - one of my favourite puppet podcasts - posted the first episode of its third season this week. As the team behind the show points out, while it might help to go back and watch season 2 if you're not already familiar with the show, really all you need to know is that Milton is a robot, Kranium is a mad scientist, and they hang out in a lab together.

Old Mother Hubbard

Puppet Heap brings the classic tale of Old Mother Hubbard to life in a short film.

Enjoy Old Mother Hubbard by the always-outstanding Puppet Heap (see previous post). Subscribe to their new Heapcast to get updated whenever they post new videos.

Two New Potter Puppet Pals Episodes Online

Two new episodes of the award-winning Harry Potter fan series Potter Puppet Pals have just been released.

There's two new installments of Potter Puppet Pals online. Awakening of the Incorruptible and The Vortex. Awakening is not really much to watch at just twelve seconds (I think it's meant to be a gag, but I didn't get it), but Vortex is classic Potter Puppet Pals, on par with the best of them like the YouTube award-winning Mysterious Ticking Noise. Don't miss it.

The Wippets' 100th Episode

The Wippets are the first puppet podcast to reach the 100 episode mark.

The Wippets recently returned from hiatus and posted their 100th episode complete with some snazzy new opening credits. To the best of my knowledge the Wippets is the first puppet podcast to reach the 100 episode mark so congrats to Ron and his crew on a really incredible achievement!

Tuesday Morning Inspiration: Kirkham Puppets

Kirkham Puppets makes beautiful, handcrafted papier mâché hand puppets.

If you like traditional, hand crafted puppets you'll love the work of Kirkham Puppets. Kelly Kirkham makes some of the most wonderful papier mâché hand puppets and marionettes I've ever seen; photos don't really do them justice.

Kelly is also one of the many puppet builders from right across North America who will be featured on The Puppet Building Podcast, a new video series that will be debuting on PuppetBuilding.com sometime later this year. Here's a short excerpt of the episode featuring Kelly (it was taped late last year):



Also, sorry for the lack of updates over the past few days...I've been really busy and recovering from being sick.

Apollo's Pad

Apollo's Pad is a new daily puppet web series set in disco-throwback night club.

Apollo's Pad is a new daily puppet web series that launched last week. The series is aimed at young adults and revolves around a night club run that's home to "questionable patrons that include wannabe gangstas and 'ladies' with penchants for alcohol and prescription drugs," and is produced by UK children's entertainment and intellectual property group Galleon Holdings.

Interestingly, Apollo's Pad started out as an animated property; the original concept behind the site was to feature animated characters in music videos to help record labels promote their back catalogs (each character in Apollo's Pad was originally intended to represent a different musical genre), but at some point in the past few months they obviously decided to add puppets to the mix. I suspect production costs were probably a factor, but that's just idle speculation.

Despite just launching last week, there are already twelve episodes of Apollo's Pad available. It's hard to imagine they'll be able to keep up a daily pace over the long term, but the quality of the episodes so far is really, really good. The puppets seen in the series were created by The Grogs (see previous post). No word on the puppeteer cast, but presumably it's by the Grog's usual top-notch Canadian crew that also does Nanalan' and Mr. Meaty.

The Marshall and Buck Show

A dim-witted moose named Marshall and his sidekick Buck were the stars of the web's first puppet web series, The Marshall and Buck Show.

Wok With Marshall was the first episode of The Marshall and Buck Show, which was - to my knowledge anyway - the internet's first puppet web series. The series was built around two characters I originally created for my Bear Town project, Marshall and Buck. Each episode featured Marshall and Buck engaging in some kind of activity like cooking, acting, or putting on a magic show that would go horribly awry. Four episodes of the show were sporadically produced between 1997 and 2000, starting with Wok With Marshall which was shot in 1997, but didn't premiere online until March 10, 2000.

Unfortunately, because I don't own any of the master tapes from the series it hasn't been available online for a long time, but I did recently find a high quality dub of Wok With Marshall so I thought I would post it to YouTube for posterity. It's a little rough, but keep in mind that we did make it over ten years ago.

The puppeteers in the video are the brilliant Shawn Hazelton (Marshall), myself (Buck) and Kim Mahony and Pauline Antonopoulos, who performed the Happy Meal puppets and Betsy, Marshall and Buck's cow. The video was directed by Brenda Tan, who's also credited as the writer although I seem to remember that roughly half of this was ad-libbed on set.

Cross-posted from The Bear Town Production Journal.

*Note: I'm pretty sure The Marshall and Buck Show was "first" but that's also very self-serving to say, so if someone out there has an example of an earlier show please drop me an email with details, I'd love to know about and share it on PuppetVision.

Up Your Kilt

Guts McTavish is a popular local puppet personality in Vancouver, B.C.

Up Your Kilt is a podcast featuring a puppet character named Guts McTavish reporting on everything from the NHL's Vancouver Canucks to pole dancing. Guts is performed by Devon Swift, a columnist who created the podcast for Vancouver 24 Hours (a daily free newspaper in Vancouver, B.C.) about two years ago. There have only been a few episodes produced since last summer, but the archives are available to watch on the Vancouver 24 Hours web site.

Special thanks to Carlos in Seattle for sending this in!